What are Phenols? Phenols are a broad class of organic compounds that add both desirable and undesirable flavours to beer. While phenolics are generally known for producing off-flavours, they can contribute positive flavouring compounds too. Approximately 75% of beer phenolics come from malt, while the other 25% from hops. In barley, the husk and tissue...
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What is a White Stout? A contentious beer style for many, the white stout has reputation for inspiring arguments among beer drinkers. Some call it gimmicky – remember Crystal Pepsi? – while others have embraced it as a fun and unique beer style. Although it is not officially recognized as a beer style, the White...
Aging Beer While it is true that most beer is best served fresh, there are some brews that can actually improve with age. The best beers to age are ones that are barrel-aged, bottle-conditioned, strong or sour. Not all types of beer are suitable for aging. Hops are the first component of a beer to...
Solera Beer The Solera system is a dynamic aging method that was developed in Southern Spain, in the mid 18th century. Solera describes a fractional blending system originally used for sherry production, where a number of casks containing the wine are stored for consecutive ages. A group of containers, criaderas (nurseries) are filled for each...
What is a cuvée? Originally a French wine term, cuvée is derived from the French word cuve which means vat or tank. Used frequently to describe wine and champagne, cuvée is becoming a common beer term too. A cuvée often denotes a specific blend or batch, alluding to a product of premium quality. Winemakers will...
India Pale Lagers There’s no question that IPAs rule the craft beer world, but after dominating beer trends for the last decade, there is renewed interest in less intense, more palatable brews. The India Pale Lager, a substylistic hybrid of both the IPA and lager, offers the best of both worlds with an approachably hoppy,...
There’s a lot of “hop talk” that gets thrown around when discussing beer. So, what’s the difference between dried hops and a dry hopped beer? And, are fresh hops and wet hops just two different names that mean the same? Dry Hopping & Dried Hops A common misconception is that dry hopping involves harvesting and...
A lager is a light, crisp and refreshing beer. It’s fairly easy to taste the difference between a lager and ale, but what sets these two apart from a brewing perspective? The defining difference between lagers and ales is based on yeast strains, as well as length and temperature of fermentation. An ale uses a...
A contentious topic of conversation in the beer world is whether IBU ratings need to be accessible to the beer consumer. Many beer drinkers use the IBU scale as a reference tool, so they can judge the relative bitterness of a beer. On the other hand, most brewers argue against publishing IBUs, as they are...
Originating in Wallonia, Belgium, the saison is an elusive beer with a diverse history. Instead of pertaining to a specific flavour or brewing technique, a saison describes a loosely related family of beer. Historically, saisons are thought to date back to the start of agriculture when beer was brewed during colder months for consumption during...